Moon, Sun, and Stars
by Supa Supa Bad Truly Mad Moves
Summary: Book Five of the Three Way Crossover Saga. Three families have become one, and many enemies have been defeated. After the smoke has cleared and the rubble has been swept away, what now will become of us? Crossover of Max, Twilight, and MVA.
1. Steps

**MOON, SUN, AND STARS**

**The Fifth and Final Book of the Three-Way Crossover Saga**

**A Crossover of Maximum Ride, Monsters vs. Aliens, and Twilight**

**Preface: "The Good Life"**

**Book One: "Monsters Vs Vampires"**

**Book Two: "ICBG"**

**Book Three: "Love and War"**

**Book Four: "Fallen"**

**Chapter 1: Steps**

**MAXIMUM RIDE**

I was just thinking about how everything is a romance. Every story has the elements of romance in it. Usually it's some schmuck getting a hot babe. You never see a girl geek getting a hot guy. Well, you do, but first she becomes hot. Remember _WALL-E_? That was no environmental message. That was another schmuck-gets-babe movie.

I was toying with this idea while I sat at my dorm room desk, early in the morning. "What are you thinking about?" Fang asked, putting his hands on my shoulders.

"Jeff Dunham," I answered.

"What?"

"Jeff Dunham. The ventriloquist comedian? He's... he's not funny. Like, at all."

Fang was still standing behind me, so I couldn't see his face. I could imagine it well enough, though. "Jeff Dunham?" he repeated incredulously. "We made love last night and you're thinking about Jeff Dunham?"

Oh, yeah. That.

"Well..." I said, "I was thinking that, um... that was a bad idea."

I felt him slump behind me. "You didn't like it?"

"That's irrelevant. Whether I liked it or not, it was still a bad idea."

"Gotcha. You didn't enjoy it."

I turned around in my chair. "You want my honest appraisal? It was fabulous. But the fabulousness isn't really a factor. We shouldn't have done it. We just shouldn't have."

He lifted me to my feet and held me tight. "I still love you," he said.

"And I'm glad," I said, squeezing him back. "That's more than most kids can say after... after that. But... I don't know, I..."

Fang smirked, guessing at where I was going. "We can't get STDs, Max. We're not human."

"What if I get pregnant?" I whispered.

That got his attention. He straightened, then looked me right in the eye. "Would that be so terrible?" he asked.

I smiled. "No," I said, "I suppose it wouldn't be the worst thing. But let's not do this again. Say, four years?"

He nodded. "Okay," he said.


	2. Bayou

**Chapter 2: Bayou**

**THE MISSING LINK**

"Hey, you guys," I said thoughtfully.

"What?" Doc asked.

"I was just thinking... I would bet you that the inside of a bottle of cleaning fluid is fuckin' clean."

Doc gaped at me. "Are you stoned?" he said suspiciously.

"No! What makes you say that?"

"Your odd remarks, for one," he said dryly. "Your driving, for another." As if to emphasize his point, our motorboat grazed the shore. "Seriously," Doc continued. "Who taught you how to drive?"

I glared at him. "You did."

"I know! You'd think I'd have proven a better teacher."

Our family was taking a little personal tour of a Louisiana wetland. Officially we were investigating the appearance of some sort of monster. In reality, we were just putzing around. Susan was swimming alongside the motorboat leisurely. Insecto landed delicately on the bank of the river.

"Dude," I called up to him, "if you so much as say 'cannonball', I swear I'll kick your ass."

He laughed at me; actually a roar that only I could interpret as laughter. Still can't figure out how that works.

"This is fun, though," I said. "I feel like I'm the Crocodile Hunter or something."

Doc rolled his eyes. "There are no crocodiles in Louisiana."

"I know, I'm just sayin'—"

"I mean, look behind you," he continued. "That's clearly an alligator."

I spun, right as the alligator lunged for me. I caught its jaws in my hand.

"That's real cute, Doc," I said. He braced himself, and I said, "I'm not gonna hit you, Doc. I mean, look at this. This is clearly a punch."

And I punched him. Everyone laughed, as always, but now there was a new laugh, the deep, throaty laugh of Oluchi. I decided to strike up a conversation with my newest family member. "So, Oluchi, how are you liking America?"

She thought about that. "It's green," she decided. "It's very green."

"Ever been to the Nile?"

"No, I'm from Nigeria," she said.

"Yeah? What's it like there?"

"Eh, could be worse. I'm glad I was adopted to here, though."

"Your English is really good," I said.

Oluchi raised an eyebrow and Dr. Cockroach laughed rudely. "Link, people from Nigeria _speak_ English."

"Okay, fine," I said. "So I'm not up on every single African nation. Give me a break."

"Actually," Susan piped up, "people from _most_ places in Africa speak English."

"Okay, so I'm a total ignoramus, then," I said, defeated. "You would too if you'd been in prison for forty-three years."

"I was in prison for fifty-six years," Doc said.

Words wouldn't win this one. I took the alligator, still held tightly under my arm, and tossed it at the doctor. It tried chomping on his head a few times before giving up and sliding back into the water.


	3. Family Time

**Chapter 3: Family Time**

**BELLA CULLEN**

We were at a big family gathering, the kind I'd never have imagined for myself, human or vampire. Edward was wearing a cardboard birthday crown from Burger King, emblazoned with black magic marker: "King of all the Vampires". He had made it himself, out of sarcasm. He still didn't want to be king, but realized that he was the one best suited to the position. That and no one would let him get away from it.

But like I said, big-time family reunion, on some island out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Carlisle's family, the Denali coven - but for all intents and purposes, we were one coven, not two, since we so rarely left their territory. Both wolf packs, monsters, flock, Felicia and Albert.

And humans. Things were so different from what I'd expected. I had no reason to regret my decisions. I had as much of a life as I would have if I had stayed human. More, maybe. My mother hadn't been the only person to notice the new media coverage that occasionally found me; my old friends from high school had gotten in touch with me as well. They weren't at the gathering, but they had called me, and I felt complete. I had felt complete before, but now... now I was beyond complete. It's like, I had been 100 percent complete, and now I was 120. Mind-blowing happiness.

"Where did Max go?" I asked. "She seemed pretty upset about something."

Nudge pointed to the small house on the corner of the island. "Nothing to worry about," she said. "Max just occasionally gets a little visitor who doesn't get along with her."

I laughed. "Let me guess, once a month?"

"I wish," Fang said grimly. "Try every two weeks." I raised an eyebrow, and he clarified, "Bird thing. Our bodies work faster than humans', that's why we have to eat so much, among other things."

Edward chuckled.

"You laugh," Iggy said. "Try being on the run for six months with that." But then he laughed as well.

"It becomes difficult," Fang said with a straight face, "sometimes, to remember that she's a force for good."

"What are you guys talking about?" Gazzy demanded.

"Nothing, man, nothing," Iggy said hurriedly.

Max was returning to the table, and said, "Thank you guys so much for discussing my PMS issues with the entire family. Why don't you send out a press release while you're at it? Hype it on a daytime talk show?"

I joined in the good-natured laughter along with everyone else. It still warmed my heart (metaphorically, of course) to hear Max refer to us as part of the family.

Felicia and Albert had sidled up to Alice. "Hey, Alice," Albert said. "Word on the street is, you're a really good party planner."

Alice got to her feet. "The very best," she said. "You want me to help you with your wedding?"

Albert smiled that strange, birdy grin of his. "Yes, we'd like that very much."

Felicia was holding a binder in her coils. "Here," she said. "I have a lot of ideas here in the binder. Budget won't be a problem, will it?"

"No," Alice said quickly. "The money under my mattress could feed an army for a year. And I don't even use my mattress. What did you have in mind?"

Felicia set the binder on the table, and Alice gasped at the sheer thickness of it. She flipped rapidly through the pages, her eyes growing wider with every turn. She leaned in toward Jasper and muttered, "I think I just had a tiny orgasm."

Insectosaurus burst out of the ocean, holding an indignant-looking blue whale in his spindly claws. It was an impressive specimen, about a hundred feet long and very sleek, but in the claws of the giant butterfly it looked like nothing special. Insecto held the whale up by its tail and hoisted the mast of a ship over his other shoulder like a fishing pole, grinning broadly. Edward laughed and snapped a picture of him.

"Let it go," Angel called. "You're making it mad."

Insectosaurus gently lowered the whale back into the ocean.

"That was cute," Edward said.

"I'm still not entirely used to him," I muttered. "I mean, he is a behemoth. I keep thinking he's gonna step on me."

Insecto turned to me and glared.

"Don't do that," Link advised. "Don't call him a behemoth. He doesn't like that. He prefers 'titan' or 'colossus'. Much more macho."

I realized that Charlie was staring at me from across the table. "What's going on, Dad?" I asked him.

"I was just thinking about how you sacrificed yourself for me," he said. "You shouldn't have done that. It's the parents who are supposed to protect the children."

I shrugged. "I wouldn't have just let you fry," I said. "That seemed like the only course of action that could have saved you."

"Still," he said, "I'm getting old. If you hadn't been brought back, I don't know how I could have lived with myself. You have a lot of life left in you."

As usual, Charlie was quite painfully correct. At his request, he still didn't know just how right he was. Edward's little crown was a bit of a giveaway, but he still didn't know what that entailed.

"I'm not going to apologize for saving your life, Dad," I said.

"I wouldn't want you to," he said, smiling. "I'm just saying, I'd prefer it if I had jumped in front of the lightning bolt for you."

A Quileute boy who I didn't recognize slid stealthily behind the table, dropping a note next to Nudge. I remembered his name then: Aaron. One of the seven who had joined Sam's pack to witness for the Volturi. My eyes picked up some of the words written on the folded piece of paper... I tore myself away, reminding myself not to pry.

The sun came out then. I watched my skin sparkling, probably my favorite aesthetic aspect of being a vampire. Nobody was surprised. There was no more secrecy surrounding vampires. Edward had been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to arrest the Volturi next time they tried hunting humans.

I noticed the latest imprinted duo, Seth and Oluchi, sitting on the shore. As always, I found myself drawn to them, walking toward them. Imprinted people are the most beautiful people in the world.

"I was just thinking," Oluchi said. "Wouldn't it be great if we could just stay here?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, running his fingers through her hair.

"Well, look," she said. "Is there anything here we don't need? The world is messed up. This island? It's like a shelter. All the friends and family are here. What else is there, you know?"

Seth looked around. "That's true," he said.

I realized that a few others had found themselves drawn to the couple as well. Susan and Max had come up to my side. Alice was still my best sister, but Susan and Max had been promoted to my best girlfriends.

"Well, there doesn't seem much point to leaving," I admitted. "Everyone we love is here."

"Yeah," Max said quietly. "That would be nice..." She looked over her shoulder at Jeb. They had made amends after his speech in the Cocoon.

"No," Susan said. She bent down and tapped Oluchi on the shoulder. "We can't just stay here. There's more to the world than just the people we love. We need to know what's going on out there, you know? Because if we don't know what happens in the world, how can we make it better?"

Max looked up at Susan. "Yeah, she's right," she admitted. "It was a good thought, but... but it was wrong. We have the ability to help, so we also have the responsibility. It's all about the—GOD DAMN IT!" She began to stomp back toward the house. "All over my brand-new jeans. That's just wonderful..."

I laughed. "And that," I said, "is what you call ruining the solemn, serious mood." I tapped Oluchi as well. "You've proven yourself a terrific addition to this family," I told her. "Don't stop now."


	4. The Big Date

**Chapter 4: The Big Date**

**IGGY**

I walked down the school hallway toward the cafeteria. Nudge rushed up to me and buried herself in my arms. "Iggy!" she said. "So, where should we go for our date?"

She hadn't stopped bugging me about that since the day she left Aaron. "I don't know," I said. "Paintball? Pelican wrestling? A trek through the dark, spooky woods? You're the authority on this, really."

"I'm never gonna live that down, am I?" she said.

"You gotta admit, Nudge-ster, those were very weird dates."

"Well... that worked for me and Aaron. Me and you will have a different style. Know what I mean?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well, come on," she persisted. "Let's go out to dinner or something. Or a movie, maybe."

"Oh, I don't know, Nudge. Can't we just make out on the roof again and call that a date?"

"Iggy," she scolded. "Come on. This is a special relationship. Our first date should be... you know, extravagant."

"I... I'm not sure it should be," I confessed. "I mean, you kissed me up on the roof, and I thought that'd be it. Then we're suddenly dating? I don't know. I'll have to think about it."

Nudge was silent for a few seconds. "Aaron wrote me a note," she said. "A very heartfelt, touching note, begging me to take him back. I was gonna turn him down, but if you and me aren't 'really' together, then I might take him up on it."

We had entered the cafeteria, and Nudge broke free of me and ran off. "Nudge!" I called, but it was too late. In the cafeteria, with all the voices and footsteps and the echoes of voices and footsteps, I'd never find her. And she knew it.

Well, I had an agenda now. First step was to acknowledge that this had been my fault. Check. Now to fix my relationship. That wouldn't be quite as easy as step one.


	5. Politics

**Chapter 5: Politics**

**EDWARD CULLEN**

Well, I am the king. What completed that image? Maybe the freaking castle. Somebody built me a castle in Alaska.

...And I was on a throne. ...And Aro sent me all his crowns. ...And Eleazar was putting together a guard for me. Are people trying to piss me off? 'Cause it's working.

"King Edward," Eleazar said. "This is Balthasar and his brother, Mattie."

I looked at the two new applicants. Balthasar had shoulder-length, smooth hair that in life, had been the exact same color as his skin. Mattie's hair was unkempt and unnaturally yellow.

"Okay," I said. "What do these guys do?"

"Balthasar can affect people's wants and desires," Eleazar replied. "And Mattie can make people agree with his statements."

"Powerful," Nessie noted.

Balthasar eyed Nessie. "What do you do? Are you even a vampire?"

"Half-vampire," she said. "And I can show people what I'm thinking."

Balthasar's eyes narrowed. "Interesting."

"Just so we're clear," I said, "there will be no overthrowing. I can read minds, and my wife can shield me. Your powers will have no affect on me."

Balthasar bowed. "I underestimated you, my king."

I stared at him for a few moments. "Aro," I said.

A few disdainful thoughts flickered through Aro's head. I didn't hold it against him. He wasn't used to playing second fiddle. He touched Balthasar and Mattie's hands.

"Trustworthy," he said.

"Do you have any more need of me, Your Majesty?" Eleazar said.

"No," I said. "Go on... and hey, you call me Edward, you got it?"

Eleazar chuckled as he left. I turned back to Balthasar and Mattie. "Can you fight?"

"Well enough to protect _you_," Balthasar said dryly.

"Good point. I don't even know why I need a guard."

"For me, Daddy," Nessie reminded me. "Bodyguards for the princess."

"Stop calling yourself the prin—" I began, but when I turned, I was not looking at the chocolate-brown eyes of my daughter, but a white-hot, slanted eyes that were far too familiar.

"Fallen," I said coldly.

"I greet you, grandchild," it replied.

"Why are you here?" I demanded. "Alice said..."

"No one on Earth would see or hear from me for seven thousand years," it said. "That's right."

"What's this, then?"

Fallen grinned. "Well, this isn't exactly Earth, is it?"

I had to admit it had a point. There were a lot of words that could describe the Cocoon, but earthly wasn't one of them.

"Why am I here?"

"I just felt I should let you know that there are a lot of people who would appreciate it if you would accept and appreciate your authority. I am the least of these people."

"My being king suits you?" I asked bitterly.

"I do not interf—"

"You keep saying that, but it's clearly a lie."

Fallen grabbed me by the throat and lifted me over its head. "You ungrateful child," it snarled. "When Jewel became too evil, I defeated him. I offered your sister Rosalie her eternal dream. And when I killed Bella, Susan, and Max, I brought them back. I have never done anything to deter you."

"What kind of screwed-up logic..." Fallen's hands tightened around my neck. I realized with horror that I was actually beginning to suffocate.

"My design is beyond your... well, not mortal. Your earthly comprehension. But never accuse me of interfering. I do no such thing, and I will respond accordingly to such accusations." Fallen dropped me, and I was immortal again. "Now you go and be king, Edward Cullen. Be a king, and you and your loved ones will never see me again."

"Is that so?"

"Maybe."

I accepted that. I had never hoped Fallen to be the type to make promises.

I was back on my throne. I hadn't gained any knowledge or experience, but I was sufficiently frightened.

"Never mind," I said. "You can be princess, Nessie. Balthasar, Mattie, your duties are effective immediately."

In the high window of the castle, Fallen shot me a thumbs-up. It unfurled a sheet of paper reading "7000 years" before flying away on its indescribable wings. Clearly, no one else would see it. It wouldn't breach its contract.

Wonderful. Seven thousand years. That's a very long time to worry. I tried to stop thinking about it, but that wasn't the easiest thing.


	6. Everything

**Chapter 6: Everything**

**OLUCHI MURPHY**

"What else is there?" I asked Seth. "I want to see more. I want to see everything!"

"I don't think you can do that, Oluchi," Seth said.

"Sure I can," I said. "Look at this! I never imagined... I want more."

"This" was Niagara Falls. I had seen every imaginable attraction in North America. Everything I saw, I became hungrier for more, more, more. More of the world. More sights. More beauty.

"Let's run away," I said. "You and me. We can see the world!"

"No," he said.

The simplicity of that response made me scowl. "I thought I was your imprinted one," I said. "Aren't you supposed to agree with everything I say?"

"No, I'm supposed to be what you need me to be," he corrected. "And right now, you need sensible advice. We can't just go running off to God-knows-where. I love you, Oluchi, but my main purpose is as your protector."

As they say, it's hard to resist a person so purely in love. I folded.

"Fine," I said. "I still want to see everything, though."

"You will," Seth said. "You're only fifteen. You have plenty of time to see everything. And remember your family."

"Yeah," I said. "I see. I don't want to run out on those people. I just met them. And they're good parents."

Seth smiled. "I can see why I imprinted on you. You're so adventurous and good-hearted. That's the kind of person I always wanted to be with."

"Kiss me, Seth," I said.

And he did, with his burning-hot wolf lips.

I realized that my attitude had been ungrateful. I had gone from an orphanage to a paradise. And now I wanted to see "everything". I was Seth's everything. I was everything to my new parents. Having everything and seeing the world were two very different things. I still wished to see the world... but I already had everything.


	7. Jealousy

**Chapter 7: Jealousy**

**NUDGE**

"Hi, Aaron," I said loudly.

"Hey, Nudge," he said. "I'm glad you forgave me. It's really..." He stopped in his tracks as I passed him the note I had written: _We're trying to get Iggy to snap, so act like you mean it._

"What?" he demanded. "This was all a trick?"

"Shh!" I snarled. "He could be anywhere."

"Nudge, I do mean it," he said, injured. "I'm still in love with you."

"I'm still in love with you too," I said, raising my voice. "I'm glad you wanted to get back together."

"Nudge!" he snapped. "If you think I came all this way just to help you trick your boyfriend, you've got another thing coming."

"Aaron!" I hissed. "Shush!"

"Too late," Iggy said, fluttering silently from the trees. "I can't believe you'd pull something like that, Nudge." He laughed. "That would have worked, actually. Too bad he wasn't in on it."

I giggled sheepishly.

"Tell you what," he said, smirking. "I'll just say what I would have if the trick had worked."

I brightened. "Yeah, that'd be great. Do that."

He stepped up to me and got down on one knee. "Don't do this, Nudge," he said grandly. "You can't just leave me like this. I am so fiendishly in love with you. Please take me back."

I got down to my own knees and kissed him tenderly. He embraced me with both his arms and his wings.

"Fiendishly in love with me?" I muttered into his mouth.

"I never claimed to be the adverb king," he retorted.

I frenched him. I know that's a bit racy, but I think that all I've been through should count for a few extra years of maturity.

"AHEM!" Aaron bellowed.

I turned to him self-consciously. "Oh, Aaron, I'm sorry. Look, it wouldn't have worked anyway."

"Yes, it would have," he insisted. "Nudge, I was... abusive, I'll say it. But I'll never do it again. I love you more than this Iggy guy ever will. Please. Please take me."

"I couldn't, Aaron," I said.

His eyes brimmed with tears. "Please, Nudge. I love you so much..."

I held his hand. "Aaron, please understand. I'm not the end-all-be-all. You'll find somebody someday you will really, truly love you for who you are."

"That's the cheapest cop-out I ever heard," Aaron grumbled. "That could be you."

"No, it couldn't," I said. "That could never be me. I love you, but I'm_ in_ love with Iggy. We can be friends, Aaron. You could be in our band!"

Aaron glared at me for a few seconds. "No," he said. "You'll never see me again."

He turned and stormed off. Iggy stroked my chin and kissed me.

"Let's wait a minute," I said. "Let's show Aaron some sensitivity. He deserves it." I looked at Iggy, trying to find that same spark we'd had just a minute before. It wasn't there. "Mmm... I don't know that I can be happy with you after I broke his heart like that," I muttered. "I mean, we'll probably torment his imagination for the rest of his life either way."

"Oh, come on," Iggy said. "Don't let him ruin this whole thing. He'll heal, you know he will." He kissed me again. I let him. "So, we're in love," he said. "We both said it tonight."

"Yeah," I said. "I wonder how that happened."

"Magic?" he suggested.

I giggled. "Maybe. Or maybe we just finally realized that it made sense. It always did."

"So how about that date?" Iggy asked. "Movie?"

"How about we go get some coffee?" I suggested.

"That sounds like a genius idea. Let's do it."


	8. Rebellion

**Chapter 8: Rebellion**

**SUSAN MURPHY**

"Hey, sweetie?" I asked. "I feel like a moron for not asking this sooner, but do you have a first name? I just realized how weird it is that I call my husband 'Doctor'."

"No," he said. "According to the government, I have no first name, and I don't remember what it was anyway. Being in a cell for six years with nothing but Duplos can do that to you."

"Okay," I said. "Anyway, I was gonna say, I'm worried about Oluchi."

"What about her?"

"Every time she leaves, I get this feeling that she's going to run away from home. She's always out with Seth, and she keeps talking about how she wants to see the world... I mean, that would be so 'me'. I'm a parent for all of fifteen minutes and my daughter is turning rebellious. I should have seen that coming. I always knew I'd be a terrible mother. I had an aquarium once, with fish in it? They escaped. I can't even take care of a freaking plant..."

"Relax, darling," Dr. Cockroach said hastily. "You've been a wonderful mother. Oluchi has said many times how grateful she is to have us."

"She has?" I said.

"Yes, Susan," he said. "And I'm sure that Seth won't let her run away, either. His purpose is to protect her, he wouldn't let her go gallivanting all over the world."

He passed me a giant can of cherry vanilla cream soda, my favorite form of comfort food. "Thanks," I muttered.

While taking a long swig of the soda, I heard the comedian that Link and B.O.B. were watching say, "Hey, I'm happier 'n Ginormica's gynecologist right about now!"

I spat out the soda all over the couch, thumping myself on the diaphragm to get air flowing again. I honestly couldn't say whether I was amused or offended.

A soda-covered Link turned in his seat and looked up at me. "Listen, Susan, you have nothing to worry about," he said. "Oluchi's gonna come walking in here, happy as a clam... however happy a clam is. No, but any minute now, she'll be home from school, same as she does every day."

Speak of the devil - Oluchi stepped right through the front door. "Hello, family," she said tiredly. "What a day!"

I picked Oluchi up and hugged her gently. "Hey, sweetie," I said. "Good to have you home."

She laughed, confused. "Mom, I only went to school. Where could I have gone?"

"Great," Link muttered. "I wasted my wish. Could have had a flying DeLorean..."

"I don't know," I admitted. "I just get worried about you sometimes."

She hugged me back. "Thanks, Mom," she said.


	9. Depression

**I decided that rather than moping around about my inaccurate portrayal of Marcus and Aro, I'll just make it accurate.**

**Chapter 9: Depression**

**RENESMEE CULLEN**

"Marcus?" I said.

The zombie-faced ancient was laying flat on his back on a stone in the middle of the forest. "Hello, Renesmee," he said without looking at me.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well," he said, "I think that if I just sit here motionless long enough, I might melt into the stone. Your father gave me his permission. Why not? My gift isn't needed anymore. Your father isn't a tyrant like Aro; we don't need to mess with the bonds between people. Do you sleep, young one?"

"A lot," I replied. "I need about fourteen hours a day or I'm a mess." I sat on the rock next to him. "Why are you always so boring?" I chirped.

"I wasn't always," Marcus replied. "Just for the past two thousand years or so. You know of my wife, Didyme?"

I could have said, "Yes, I know about Didyme. Everyone knows about Didyme. You're probably the one person who knows the least about Didyme."

What I did say was, "Yeah, I've heard of her. She died so long ago. You're still sad?"

"Vampires don't change, Renesmee," he reminded me. "I'll ache over Didyme for the rest of eternity."

I nodded. "That's right. That's why you lost all your passion."

"Everyone loved Didyme," Marcus said. "Her power was creating happiness. When she died... I wasn't the only person who lost their passion, but I was the only one who lost it forever."

"Oh, Marcus," I said. "That's such a sad story. I wish there was something I could..." I stopped speaking as Marcus suddenly sat bolt upright. I realized that my hand had been on his face. I had given him my thoughts... the secret that had been kept, by various sources, for two thousand years.

"Aro murdered Didyme?" Marcus whispered.

I cowered. His inflectionless voice was somehow more frightening than usual.

"Tell me what you know," Marcus said.

"I..."

"Tell me the story, Renesmee Cullen, or I'll rip the information out of your brain with my fingernails and teeth."

His face was still devoid of expression, but I did not doubt that unless I spilled quickly, he would very much enjoy ripping my brain out.

"You and Didyme were going to leave," I said. "Aro couldn't afford to lose you, so he killed Didyme, then had Chelsea switch your loyalty to him."

"How do you know this?" Marcus asked.

"Everyone knows," I said quietly. "It's pretty much common knowledge."

"Unbelievable," Marcus said. "She was his sister. His biological sister."

I shrugged. "Aro works in pretty messed-up ways," I said. "He's got a heart full of love, but he also has a stomach that hungers for power... and usually the stomach takes the front seat."

"Good analogy," Marcus said. "I should have suspected... but I suppose Chelsea's curse wouldn't allow me to suspect."

"Are you going to kill Aro?" I said warily.

"Why would I do something like that?" he said. He lay back down on the rock and shut his eyes.

"Marcus?" I said. He ignored me as only a vampire can ignore. I tried a few more times, but he had frozen completely. I turned away and went back to hunting.


	10. Because We Can

**Chapter 10: Because We Can**

**MAXIMUM RIDE**

"Hey, Max," Fang called. "You want to go fly around?"

"Sure," I said. I began to follow him; he held up his hand to stop the rest of the flock.

"I wanted to be alone with Max, actually," he said. The four of them retreated.

"Like a date?" I asked.

Fang shrugged. "That'll work."

And then we engaged in probably the most romantic thing anybody's ever done: we lifted off the top of the dormitory and we flew around.

"Good call," I said. "This is a beautiful night."

The heat rose off the concrete of the city, creating excellent thermals. The sky was cloudless, the moon full.

"Isn't it?" Fang said. "You want to go to the canyon?"

"Why the canyon?"

He shrugged. "'Cause it's there."

My man can come up with a reason.

We settled down into the canyon, in the soft sand by the river.

"I feel so free," I said.

"You are free, Max," he said.

"I mean, emotionally free," I clarified. "You're right. We're not in hiding anymore. I'm going to embrace my feelings now. They didn't do me any good when I was fighting mutants and running for my life, but if I don't start developing them now I'm gonna grow up a robot bird."

He nodded. "That's a good idea."

I pointed to my cheek, then my temple, then the spot between my eyes, then my lips. He took the hint and kissed those places, in that order. "I want to have sex again," I told him.

"Really?" he said. "Well, if there was any doubt before, I'm liking this embracing-your-feelings idea." He laughed. "What changed your mind?"

"Well, I was thinking that things have changed. Our first time, when Fallen brought me back... that was just hot. Spur-of-the-moment, you know? And it didn't feel right. That's what made me reluctant to do it again."

He stared. "You lied. You said you just wanted to be safe."

"And I'm sorry about that. But here, under the full moon, on the riverbank... that would work."

"But it didn't work the first time?"

"We can make it right, Fang!" I insisted. "A new first time. Just imagine... we're making love, right, and then we start flying. Mid-air lovemaking. I mean, that's the stuff great romantic novels are made of."

Fang raised an eyebrow. "And what do you know about great romantic novels?"

I shrugged. "Second-rate science-fiction erotica," I allowed.

"Same question."

"I'll have you know I have a very healthy respect for science-fiction erotica. And if you don't comment on that, I won't comment on your 'Let's Get Closer, Stranger' wall calendar."

"Deal," he said. "So, you're really sure about this?"

"We've already had sex," I said. "Now I want to make love."

He held my hand. "I like the sound of that," he said. "I truly do." He kissed the tips of my fingers, then the back of my hand, and continued up my arm until he got to my face. I pressed my face to the spot where his shoulder met his neck and bit it lightly.

"Keep it up," I whispered. He wrapped his arms around me, and I took off my jacket. It was a warm night. I lifted my wings so that he could get to my bra.

Well, enough of the boring descriptive text. A few minutes into that, we heard a very distinctive psycho-cackle.

"BWA-HA-HA!"

We broke apart and covered ourselves with our wings. Facing us was a tall man with a long red beard. Behind him were three hulking shapes. It was too dark to see them clearly. Or maybe I just wasn't interested.

"Oh my freaking God," Fang snarled. "Could your timing be any worse?"

I had a better question for them: "Who the hell are you?"

"We are the greatest band of supernatural creatures ever to exist," the man said. His voice was no less psychotic-sounding than his laugh. "This is El Capitan, Frick, and Lorenzo. And I am Ted."

"Ted?" I repeated. That had to be the worst supervillain name ever, and I've met some crappily-named SV's.

"Yup, Ted," he replied. "You're coming with me, sunshine."

"Okay," Fang said. "I really don't have time for this."

He reached into his pants pocket, in the sand next to him, and pulled out a pistol. With no ado, he shot Ted.

"What are you doing with a gun?" I hissed.

"I've never gone on a date without one," he replied. "I don't want to be bothered when I'm alone with you."

Well, that was flattering. But we had bigger things to worry about. Ted had stopped bleeding almost instantly, and he looked ticked off. Of course, mostly he looked like a psycho. But now he looked like a ticked off psycho. He advanced on us, followed by the three giant shadows. I gave them a quick glance... big dog, big frog, big cat... I don't really care.

Angel dropped down from the sky above. She waved her hand gently in front of Ted's face. "You're not going to attack the flock tonight," she said.

"I'm not going to attack the flock tonight," Ted repeated.

"You're never going to set foot in this town again," Angel said, waving her hand again.

"I'm never going to set foot in this town again," Ted said. "That's right. Frick, Lorenzo, Capitan... let's go."

Ted walked off. The three giant beasts looked confused, but followed him.

"Nice save, Angel," Fang said. "Was the Jedi schtick really necessary?"

Angel shrugged. "Thought it was a nice touch. I predicted that you would be interrupted doing... something personal." Now she can predict stuff. What the hell did they stick in her test tube?

"Sorry you had to see this, Angel," Fang said. "I suppose you're scarred for life."

Angel dismissed the notion. "Oh, I was scarred for life already," she said. "I bit of inappropriate imagery won't add much to it. I'll see you two in the morning."

Angel flew off.

"Wow," Fang said. "I can think of about a million things I'd rather have been caught doing."

"Totally," I said. I spread my wings, showing him my body, inviting him back.

"Eh... the moment's kind of gone," he said. "That Ted guy turned me the hell off." I began to shut my wings, and he quickly said, "Hey, we're fourteen. The moment will probably be back in, like, eight and a half seconds."

"Ah," I said. "Well, what did you think, while it lasted? Different, don't you think?"

"Yeah," he said. "More romantic. It was better than the blood-boiling bit we did the first time."

I guessed that eight and a half seconds had elapsed, as he had crawled over to me and started all over.


	11. Don't Mess With It

**Chapter 11: Don't Mess With It**

**CHARLIE SWAN**

"What's the matter, Charlie?" Edward asked.

I glared at him. "I thought you could read minds or some shit."

He shrugged. "Yours isn't as easy as others... what are you angry about?"

"That guy, Nessie's bodyguard. I'm mad at him."

"Which one?"

"The one with the pink hair."

"Oh, Balthasar?" he asked. "Did he play a practical joke on you? He does that sometimes."

"He tried to bite my neck and suck my blood."

"Oh. Yeah, he also sometimes does that."

"Well, what is he?" I demanded. "Some kind of vampire?"

"Uh... yeah, some kind."

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "What kind?"

Edward shrugged. "I don't know. There's only one kind of... vampire. Sorry, Charlie. I know you didn't want to find out this way."

"I didn't want to find out at all, Ed," I snarled.

Edward laughed.

"What's funny?" I demanded.

"Oh, nothing," he said quickly. "It's just, you make the exact same 'I'm-gonna-kill-you' face that Bella does." He paused. "I can usually get rid of it with a kiss." He paused for a second longer, then took a step forward.

"Get away!" I said. "Look, just keep your bodyguards under control, would you? Aren't you some kind of king? If his brother hadn't ripped him off, he'd have killed me."

"I know," Edward said. "You know Dr. Cockroach?"

"What about him?"

"Well, he's told us he's working on a serum. Something to inject into the vampire population so we no longer find human blood appetizing. It's a real breakthrough, and Carlisle thinks that the formula is sound. Until it's done, I'll assign someone more in-control than Balthasar and Mattie to guard Nessie."

"I hope so," I said.


	12. Learn About Ted

**Chapter 12: Learn About Ted**

**DR. COCKROACH PH.D.**

"Hey, everybody," Angel called. She was standing on top of the rock that the family used as an impromptu podium. "Well, we've got another enemy. He's called 'Ted'. I'm going to give you all images so we can figure out what all these creatures are, because I get the feeling they're something more diverse than we're used to. This first one was called 'El Capitan'."

An image appeared in my head, and everyone else's. The creature was not unlike a Quileute shapeshifter, but not exactly like them either. It was more scruffy and thin, appearing underfed and neglected.

"That's a werewolf," Edward said. "The regular kind, not like Jacob. A Child of the Moon."

"The moon _was_ full that night," Max mused.

"Any other night, he'll just appear as a dirty, scrawny human," Edward said. "But no less insane and no less dangerous. We know how to deal with werewolves."

"Good," Angel said. "Okay, this one was named 'Frick'."

The creature she showed us now looked like a gangly amphibian. It was nine feet tall and its skin was gray-green and pebbly. It had a large sail on its back and a long, sharp nose.

"Scrag troll," Albert said. Everyone shot him quizzical glances. "You'll remember the work of the Big Guy's friend Tran," Albert said. "Tran was into fantasy gaming, and his ambition was to invent a virtual reality version of it. You may have noticed some of his robots - Alexis, Hollywood - who were modeled after fantasy creatures; it's easiest to make them as robots, but he also tried to make living, breathing versions of fictional beasts, and the most successful was the scrag troll. Tran's scrags will follow all the old D&D rules. Frick here must have escaped the factory at some point. Trolls regenerate; you have to seal their wounds with fire or acid or else they can recuperate, even from death."

"This next one was named 'Lorenzo'," Angel said.

The image was a bipedal tiger dressed as a lab assistant.

"Oh my God, Lorenzo," I said. "He was my partner back before I became Dr. Cockroach. I had no idea he was still alive!" I concentrated on the mental image. "That's definitely him. I don't know how he became a tiger, but that's him. I can see it in his eyes."

"And finally, Ted," Angel said.

"He looks like one of the special people," Renesmee said. "Like me and Nahuel."

"I think you're right," Alice said.

Angel gave us more sensory perceptions of it; his racing heart, his extreme body heat.

"For sure," Alice said. "That's a half-vampire."

"Quite the diverse group," Edward said. "I wonder what could have brought them together?"

"Well, we know who our new enemies are," I said grimly. "Tragic. I was hoping there would be no more enemies."

"Keep hoping," Max muttered.


	13. Juicy Details

**Chapter 13: Juicy Details**

**ELLA MARTINEZ**

Mom pressed a sensor against Max's belly and concentrated on the screen. I held Max's hand. I had never felt any regret at the notion of an older sister, especially since I had known Max before.

"Well, Max, I can safely say that you're not pregnant," Mom said.

"Are you sure?" Max said anxiously. Nudge and I were standing at her sides, and she gripped our hands.

"Absolutely. There's nothing there."

"But I'm late," Max insisted.

"Only a day. That's not that much, even for you. A pregnancy scare can cause anxiety, and anxiety can cause your period to come later than normal."

"Really?" Max said. "Huh. That's got to be the most irritating piece of information I've ever heard."

"I'd be more help to you if I knew more," Mom said. "You're the first of your species to ever live to puberty. Nudge, have you had any periods yet?"

Nudge shook her head. "Not yet."

"Then there's not much data I can work off of."

"Really?" Max said to Nudge. "Never? That's not fair. When I was eleven I was raging. And your boobs are bigger than mine already..."

Nudge shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you."

Mom was loading up her equipment. Max winced. "I'm really sorry about this, Mom."

"It's okay," she said. "I can't say I'm not disappointed, but I understand."

Max smiled weakly. "You're the best, Mom."

Max walked out of the room. I caught up to her and put my hand on her shoulder.

"Details," I said. "I must have details."

Nudge hovered behind us. (Not literally; they can't hover)

"I'm not much for talking," Max said nervously. "And what are you doing, Nudge? You don't want to know."

"Please?" I asked.

"Well..." Max said. "Our first time was after Fallen left. Right when he brought me back... we just flew straight to the dormitory and did it. It wasn't very romantic. It was more like 'I-can't-believe-we're-alive' sex, if you know what I mean. Which I hope you don't."

I shrugged. "I can guess."

"Well, then after that... then we really found our anchor. It was a beautiful thing. We've made love every morning and every night since then... I'm no expert, but Fang is really good. He's very tender and respectful, always concerned with putting my wants before his..." She stared into space, then quickly looked back at Nudge and me. "I'd like to remind you two that Fang and I are not role models. If I ever hear that you two have been... you know, then I'll be pretty upset."

"Don't worry," I told her. "I don't even have a boyfriend..."

"Well, I would like to give the two of you one word of advice," Max said. She took a breath, and gave us the one word: "Toes."

Nudge blinked. "Toes?"

"Toes."

"Mine or his?"

"Yours."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Kissing is nice, sex is nice, but there's nothing to compare to his clean mouth going over my clean feet..." She shuddered, but in a pleasant way. "And it's totally harmless. Make of that what you will, I'm gonna go get some breakfast."


	14. Babes and Ravioli

**Chapter 14: Babes and Ravioli**

**FANG**

"Fang," Iggy said quickly, sidling up to me. "You want to go to the Italian restaurant tonight?"

"You asking me out?" I joked.

"Dude, that's the greatest restaurant in town. And it's frequented by Lerner's top three bachelorettes." He began to hold up a photo, then slowed suddenly. "This is a picture of Karen, Alexandra, and Markie, right? I had to take the guy's word for it."

"Yeah, that's them," I said.

"Well, come on, man," Iggy said. "It's babes and ravioli. We like babes and ravioli!"

"I don't need babes and ravioli," I said.

"What, Max? Well, fine, I suppose she is the jealous type. But you gotta eat! You ever tried Max's ravioli?"

"My heart is still beating, isn't it? But the ravioli factor isn't worth the babe factor. Max thought of me as having a protective babe bubble surrounding me that only she could cross, even before she had a claim to me. And now that she does, well..."

"Ah."

"I just don't want her to get upset. She needs to know that I'm in a committed relationship. So are you, by the way. What does Nudge think about this babes-and-ravioli endeavor?"

Iggy was silent for a few minutes. "She's fine," he finally said, quietly. "I... I'm in love with her, but we don't pretend this will ever be anything real. With the age difference, it'll be a while before anyone finds a relationship between us acceptable, and even after that... who's to say we'll even live that long, never mind that we'll still be in love when we're both adults..."

I waited until it was clear that Iggy had nothing more to say. "That's awful depressing, dude."

"I know."


	15. Commit

**Chapter 15: Commit**

**MAXIMUM RIDE**

Fang took me on a date. I was nervous. Not about the date. That's old news now.

"You remember Keegan and Niles?" Fang asked.

"Of course I do," I said. "They're just the greatest kids."

"They are," he agreed. "I was thinking, about that really sweet way they commit to each other, you know? Just a little green ring. Probably got it out of a piñata. Worthless, but it represents the whole relationship. I was thinking maybe we could do something like that."

I giggled weakly. "I don't think we need a token. We were literally built for the purpose of being together. No point in advertising it. 'Recombinant life-form with built-in soulmate'. You don't have to get me anything."

"Already did," he said. He plopped the small black ring on the table. "Mood ring. It allegedly turns blue when you're having feelings of love. Let's try it out."

"I can't accept this, Fang," I said.

"It was $2.50 at the freaking zoo, just take it," he said irritably.

"No," I said. "I mean I _can't_."

He considered that. "What's going on, Max?"

"I just... I don't want your promise ring, Fang. I want onion rings! Hey! Waitress! Get over here! We've been waiting for a while now. The strong should be served before the weak!" I pounded my fist to the table. "I mean, we're dying here, waitress. We don't have time for slow service. Is it too much for the protectors of the planet to ask for rapidly-delivered food?"

The waitress gave me an odd look and slunk back to the kitchen.

"What the hell was that?" Fang demanded, half-amused, half-freaked.

"It's never going to end, Fang," I muttered. "Never. We'll take down this Ted character, and his henchmen, and his building, and then we'll have twenty minutes of relaxation before the next guy comes along. And sooner or later, the 'next guy' is going to be strong enough to kill us all. Or just some of us, which would be worse in a way."

"Max—"

"That's why I can't accept your ring," I continued. "I can't commit to a relationship. The only thing I can commit to is survival. As long as I have bird blood, I can't afford love, because that blood will always attract bad people."

The food arrived then. We both ate. We didn't exchange a word until our plates were clean.

"I brought you here so we could break up," I finally said.

"Bad idea," he said instantly.

"You'll always be mine. My rock, my second-in-command, my voice of reason. But that'll work out better without feelings."

"That's not true," Fang said. "You've never been as strong as you have these past couple of weeks."

I didn't have an answer to that. "By the way, I had Mom check me out," I said. "I'm not pregnant. So, no obligations there."

"You told your mom?"

"She's the whole flock's mom, Fang."

"Thanks, but that wasn't my point."

"She was fine with it. And she'll be even more fine now, I daresay."

I got up to leave. Fang blocked my path before I could take to the air.

"You're wrong," he said. "You, you stupid, idiotic, moronic bimbo, are wrong. You're usually wrong. You're wrong about most things. But right now you're more wrong that you've ever been. You are wrong."

I kissed him - more to beat him to it than anything. Before I knew what was happening, he had scooped me up in his arms and carried me back to the dormitory. And then, for the twenty-third time in the past two weeks, we were making love. From the restaurant to the bed, it was about eighteen seconds.

Of course, there's a reason for that. The amount of time Fang can stay on is roughly proportionate to the amount of time it takes to sing a song. We had to do it quick or it wasn't gonna happen. But don't tell him I said that. Regardless, it's amazing.

"My God, I love you so much," I said.

"So much for the 'no love as long as you have bird blood' theory," he said, smirking.

"I'll discuss it with my agent," I said.

We laughed and laughed and laughed. Then we made love for the twenty-fourth time. He managed to slip the little black ring onto my finger sometime during it. I accepted it. Turning it down had been one of my life's biggest mistakes. The least lethal, but still among the biggest.

Love him. What else could possibly matter?


	16. Capture

**Chapter 16: Capture**

**BELLA CULLEN**

The black cloud was lifted off of my head. I was in a cage. There was no room to move, but it was made of iron. Just plain old iron. Are they serious?

I looked around. Susan was in a cage that gave her the same kind of mobility as mine, in a deep depression in the ground so that the two of us were at eye level. Max's cage was between us and suspended from the ceiling of the dungeon-like room.

"Helloooooo, girls," Ted said. His craziness was evident in his every gesture, every word, every micro-movement of his eyes. "You understand why I brought the three of you together, right?"

All three of us spoke simultaneously; we said slightly different things that roughly translated made up "Because you're a psycho?"

"No," he said. "Because in possessing the three of you, I rule the universe. Bella, you hold things together. Families. Communities. Societies. Everything gravitates to you and, as an aside, you are very beautiful.

"Max, you are vital, but not unexpected. Everyone knows that you will come over the horizon, yet when you do, there is still the feeling of relief.

"Susan, those who know you not see beautiful things about you. Those in the know see what you are truly made of, and that is prettier still.

"Are you done?" Susan asked.

"No," Ted said. "You see? You three united are powerful entities when compared to the earth. Moon, Sun, and Stars." He pointed to me, Max, and Susan respectively.

Huh. That actually made sense in a crazy sort of way.

Max raised her hand. "Can I be the Stars instead, and Susan be the Sun? Being the Sun sounds like a lot of pressure."

"Silence," Ted said. "I know these things because Fallen knows these things. He told me."

I hissed. "Fallen. So much for never hearing from him again."

"With you three united, you can mold the world as you choose."

"You done?" Susan said again.

"No. With you three united under _my_ control - mine, mio, mien, mein - we can make the world MINE! Bwa-ha!"

"Are you done now?" Susan said.

"Uh-huh."

"Okay."

Susan effortlessly bent the bars of her cage and clambered out. I did the same as Susan helped Max break out of her cage. Susan and I ran, Max flew.

"I saw an exit up ahead," Susan said. "Let's see if we can get our bearings."

We burst out of a giant door.

"Off the top of my head, I'd say we're in Las Vegas," Max said dryly.

We were indeed. Behind us was the giant stone tower we had just popped out of. It slowly faded into nothingness.

"Portable tower," I guessed. "Like the Cocoon."

"Let's get home," Susan said. "This is getting awful strange."


	17. Ted Attacks

**Chapter 17: Ted Attacks**

**RENESMEE CULLEN**

Grandpa had me in his car. He was eyeing me strangely.

"I'm the same," I reminded him. "Now you just know what I am."

"Right," he said. "Let's put on the radio."

He switched the radio on and a deep, dark beat began to play.

_Everybody party time_

_Some of us will never sleep again_

_....I AM A VAMPIRE...._

Grandpa looked at the radio as if it was trying to bait him. "Change the station," he muttered. A new song, folksy and mystical, came up.

_Vampire_

_You feed on the life of a pure heart_

_Vampire_

_You suck the life of goodness, yes_

Grandpa punched the scan button violently. The next tune that played was much more upbeat. Then we caught the lyrics.

_I am a vampire and I'm looking in the city_

_But the pretty girls don't look at me_

_'Cause I don't have my fangs_

_'Cause I have lost my fangs_

He turned the radio off altogether.

"Is this gonna be a problem, Grandpa?" I asked.

"No," he said firmly.

"The serum works," Balthasar supplied. Grandpa jumped. Evidently he had forgotten that my bodyguards were in his car. "You don't smell anything like food, Sheriff. Maybe old food. Stale bologna, that's how you smell. Extra-stale."

Grandpa gave Balthasar a poisonous look that made him back down.

The flock had invited everyone to the Lerner's spring dance. The night sky was full of stars, and students of all ages were cruising the school courtyard, interspersed with our highly-mixed family, including Insectosaurus, calmly swaying as was his preference. This "Moon, Sun, and Stars" stuff wasn't bothering anybody. Ted was clearly too nutty to really constitute a threat.

I danced with Gazzy for a while - he was the only person in my height range. I saw Max and Fang, holding each other tightly and swaying slowly despite the upbeat music. Another couple around their age was doing the same, and I recognized them as Keegan and Niles. Max just loved them.

The dance was interrupted by the appearance of a helicopter. A huge floodlight glared, and three figures lowered themselves down on ropes. El Capitan, Frick, and Lorenzo.

"Okay, dawgs," Lorenzo said. "Let's get this over with real quick-like. Hand over the goddesses."

"Aye," Frick said in a heavy Irish accent. "Ted never give up. We want moon-sun-stars now."

El Capitan, though in his human shape, did nothing but rumble deep in his throat.

A few things happened at once. Insectosaurus screeched at the helicopter, with the intent of blowing it out of the sky. Somehow, they managed to dodge the path of the projection, and the screech was deflected downward, to a solitary figure with black hair and thick glasses.

"Keegan, cover your ears!" Max yelled.

It was too late. The sonic projection cracked the stone floor of the courtyard, as well as splitting Keegan's skin. She fell down in a pool of blood.

"KEEGAN!" Niles yelled.

Lorenzo aimed a spotlight at Dr. Cockroach. "Heya, Doc Cock," he called. "Whyn't you try and catch us?"

"For the glory of Ted and Fallen!" Frick yelled.

The helicopter flew off quickly.

Carlisle bent over the mangled form of Keegan. "She's alive," he muttered. "But not for long. I'm so sorry, Keegan."

He plunged a syringe of venom into her heart. It was the only way.

Insectosaurus stared, stunned, at the destruction he had caused.

"It's not your fault, Insecto!" I called up to him.

He didn't relax. He appeared to be in shock. I couldn't blame him.

"Insectosaurus," Dr. Cockroach yelled. "Take Susan and Oluchi home. Now."

That got Insecto's attention. He quickly scooped up Susan and Oluchi before they could object, and flew off rapidly.

"B.O.B., stay here," Dr. Cockroach said. "Link, you come with me."

"Did that guy call you Doc Cock?" Link said, amused.

"Shut up."

"Come with you where?" Link asked.

"We're following that chopper. Lorenzo leaves behind radiation trails that only I can see... he always has. That's why he called to me."

Other figures of authority in the family were giving out directions.

"Fang," Max said decisively. "Take Gazzy and Angel to the dorm, keep them safe. Nudge and Iggy, go with the doctor."

"What will you do?" Fang demanded.

Max bit her lip, looking guilty. "I'm gonna stay with Keegan."

Daddy was in all-out king mode. "Carlisle takes care of Keegan. Rose and Eleazar help him. Jacob, you and I are helping them track. Everyone else, keep each other safe."

Jacob obediently followed, but paused when he saw me.

"Nessie will be safest here," Daddy said, "and you'll be of the most service in the thick of things."

Jacob nodded, unable to defy the logic.

Dr. Cockroach and Link hopped on their hoverboards and followed the invisible trail of Dr. Cockroach's old assistant. Daddy and Jacob ran, Nudge and Iggy flew.

I waited, trying my best to calm down the people around me. It was all I could do.


	18. Lair

**Chapter 18: Lair**

**OLUCHI MURPHY**

"This sucks!" I bellowed, pounding on Insectosaurus' head.

"Your dad just wants us safe," Mom said.

"I know, but I want to know what's going on," I muttered.

Mom held out a small device. Of course; the handheld communicators. I'd be able to listen in on them. That was something, at least. I opened the communications.

"I know how to drive, Doc," I heard Link say. "I'm not a complete moron."

"No, you're a partial moron," Dad retorted under his breath. "And, incidentally, the brakes only work on the ground. So, er, try to stay on the ground."

"I didn't know that was optional," Link said. His burning glare was nearly audible.

"No time," Dad said hastily. "The trail leads straight here. Ah, look, there's Ted's tower."

"Intimidating," Edward muttered. "Look at that."

"No kidding," Link said. "Sounds like a place you'd expect to see... like, vampires or something."

Edward snorted in response.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Jacob said. "Let's go in there."

"I'm with Jake on this," Iggy said. "Got nothing better to do, you know?"

I heard a heavy door being scraped open, then a raspy, mechanical voice yelling: "MAGICAL INTRUDERS!"

I looked up at Mom in fear. She shrugged. "I don't know. It could be anything..."

"Link!" Dad yelled. "Link, can you hear me?"

"Yeah, I can hear you. Why?"

"The tower vanished," Edward said. "The doctor can't follow Lorenzo's trail anymore."

"No problem," Link said. "The four of us can handle this. We're all unharmed."

"Look," I said suddenly. Mom and Insectosaurus followed my gaze. There was Ted's black stone tower. It had moved, purely by chance, directly beneath us.

"Now we'll get to see what's going on here," I said smugly.

Insectosaurus swooped in on the tower.


	19. Tunnels

**Chapter 19: Tunnels**

**IGGY**

"I think this hallway is circular," Jacob said.

"You might be right," Link muttered. "There's no way of knowing; the whole place is flawless. You get anything from the top of the ladder?"

"It's brighter," Jake replied, "but I can't see the architecture very clearly."

"Nudge," Link said. "Take the ladder, could you? See if your eagle eyes can figure this out."

"They're not really eagle eyes," Nudge said. "More like hawk eyes. Eagles hunt fish, so they have to see through water. Hawks don't need to see through water. I can't really see through water very well. None of the flock can, as far as I know. I think it's all hawk-style vision for--"

"Nudge?"

"Yeah?"

"Just do it."

Nudge shuffled up the ladder and returned in a few seconds. "The second level of the tower is hexagonal," she said. "Six sides, each with a door. El Capitan, Frick, and Lorenzo are guarding every other door."

"Right," Link said. "Okay, how about we split up?"

"Bad idea," Jake said. "I think we should stay together."

There was a sudden scraping noise, then Jake said, "Okay, we're splitting up, then." I only heard him on my communicator.

"What happened?" I asked.

"A big stone wall came up," Nudge replied. "Link and Jake are on the other side. We're on our own, I guess." She touched the wall and suddenly started crying.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Is it your empathy ability? Has there been sadness in this tower?"

"No," she said. "More like... anguish... I think people have been tortured here. A lot."

I casually switched off my communicator, then reached over to switch off hers.

"Iggy?" she said cautiously.

"I'm kind of glad we've been isolated like this," I said. "I've got some stuff to say that I really didn't want to have to wait until this whole thing was over to get out of the way."

"What is it?"

"Well... about our feelings for each other. We've been saying it can't really be real, like I brought up back in Chapter Fourteen..."

She giggled. "Did you just break the fourth wall?"

I grinned. "I suppose I did, didn't I? Anyway, I think it was wrong. You know, the whole deal was just a societal sort of thing. But, you know, I don't really care. Because I do love you, and I'm going to express that for as long as it's legal, you know? What's a three-year gap, you know? Nothing."

"Oh, Iggy," Nudge said. "That's great, because... when we had that discussion earlier, it completely broke my heart. I'm glad we both see it the same way now." She hugged me. "Waiting until we're both adults is going to be the hardest thing I've ever done," she said. "But that's what we're going to do, obviously. And we're perfect. It's going to last. I don't know if you were ever told, but you and I have almost the exact opposite coloring. You're really pale and blond and blue-eyed... Scandinavian, I think, maybe, and I'm black, obviously. It's kind of fun sometimes to imagine... I mean, you can imagine, right? Babies... babies with coffee-cream skin, and little speckled wings. Let me tell you, six or seven years from now, as soon as I'm eighteen, the very instant, you and I are--"

During her tangent, I had whipped out a bit of duct tape and gently placed it across her mouth. "Just shut up, would you?" I said affectionately.

She giggled sheepishly and removed the tape. "Well, you get the picture, right?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry about that. Shouldn't be planning that far ahead. But, um, if you ever seal my mouth again, in any fashion, I will have to kill you, I'm afraid."

"Any fashion?" I challenged. She walked right into the trap.

"Well, maybe not with a kiss," she allowed.

"I'll do it that way, then," I said.

We sank further into our embrace, then into a kiss.

Later we would claim that we had lost track of time. And in her case, that's probably the truth. But, not for me. I never lose track of time. It's another of my special abilities. So I can tell you that it was exactly 22 minutes and 55 seconds before we broke apart and turned our communicators back on. I never forgot where we were. I never forgot that we had some important things to do. But kissing Nudge is just too good. Maybe that makes me a bad person. I don't know.

Over the communicators, there was a lot of clamor and yelling - too much to make any sense out of.

"What's going on?" Nudge demanded.

The noise died down. "There you two are," Link grumbled. "What have you been doing, making out?"

"Uh, yeah," Nudge admitted. "What's happening?"

"Jake and I had a confrontation with Frick and a bunch of metal bugs," Link replied. "Frick's dead; I've sealed its wounds with fire, like Albert said. Jake's hurt bad."

"He can heal," Edward said.

"I know, I'm just doing a bit of first aid," Link said. "Bit of a gash across his belly... pretty sure he's unconscious, let me check his--Oh! Oh! Oh, oh, oh..."

"Link?" Dr. Cockroach said worriedly.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh..."

"LINK!" Dr. Cockroach bellowed. "Breathe! What's happened?"

Link swallowed hard and muttered, "Anybody know how to get a gold-plated beetle out of a wolf's brain?"


	20. Success

**Chapter 20: Success**

**CARLISLE CULLEN**

We moved Keegan up to her dormitory. Rosalie, Eleazar, and B.O.B. kept watch over me while Max and Niles sat by Keegan's bed.

"There was no other way," I said apologetically. "Keegan would have been dead in seconds."

"We know how you roll, Carlisle," Rosalie assured me. "You did the right thing. It's all you ever do, the right thing."

"Look at all the pain she's in," Niles wailed.

"It won't last forever," I assured him.

He looked up at me. "Change me, too."

"Don't, Niles," Max warned. "Don't even consider it!"

"Ooh, look!" B.O.B. blurted. "One of Keegan's dormmates has a saxophone!" He oozed over to a saxophone on a stand and looked at it in wonder. "You know, I always wanted to ask one of these a couple of questions."

"A saxophone?" Niles said uncertainly.

"Yeah," B.O.B. said. He hefted the saxophone and spoke to it, "Hey, how you doing? You been to the beach? What's it like to wear tennis shoes?"

Niles looked back at me. The confusion on his face added to his anguish was almost comical. Almost. No one would have dreamed of laughing while a transformation was taking place. Keegan was already beginning to thrash wildly, though she managed not to scream.

"Was Keegan... imaginative?" Eleazar said suddenly.

Everyone turned to him. It was an odd question.

"Was she?" he demanded of Niles.

"Yeah," Niles replied. "Like no one else I've ever known. All the creativity you could fit in one human mind, and more. Keegan could whip out a novel in an hour and a half. She could have been a published author already, at fourteen, if she wanted to. But she just loved stories."

"Carlisle," Eleazar said, "if I'm getting the right impression, you've created the most powerful vampire ever to have existed."

I frowned. "Her imagination? I don't understand."

"That will be her talent," Eleazar explained. "The only limitation to her ability will be her imagination."

Everyone thought about that for a moment. "Are you saying she'll be able to do _anything_?" Max said.

"Precisely," Eleazar said grimly. "If she wants human blood to come _to_ her, it will. If she wants revenge - on Ted and his lackeys, on Insectosaurus, on Carlisle, maybe even on Fallen - she'll get it. If Keegan wants the entire galaxy to disappear in a ball of fire... it will happen."

There was a long, eerie silence.

"Well, we can't allow her to exist, obviously," Rosalie said. "If she finishes the transformation, who knows what kind of motivations she'll have? We'll have to destroy her before she's turned."

"Don't you dare!" Niles said, bolting to his feet.

"Listen, kid," Rosalie said. "You're a human and I'm a vampire. If I was in the mood for a moderately challenging fight, I could kill you using only my eyeballs. As it turns out, I'm not in that sort of mood, so stand aside."

"Buzz off, Rosalie," Max said. "Keegan has a good heart. She'll do good things."

"As a newborn?" Rosalie challenged. "I think not. I'm just being safe here."

Keegan suddenly stopped twitching and arched her back, wincing heavily. After nearly a minute, she plopped down onto the bed.

"Can you hear me, Keegan?" I whispered.

"Uh-huh," she wheezed.

"Do you understand what's happening?"

"I'm gonna be a vampire," she rasped. "And I'll be able to imagine anything I want... no more questions. I want to scream."

"I understand," I said. "Save your breath. The transformation will be over in two to five days."

"You can do it, Keegan," Niles said.


	21. Brain Surgery

**Chapter 21: Brain Surgery**

**THE MISSING LINK**

"Oh, man," I wailed. "Oh man oh man oh man..."

Jake's head had been popped open by a powerful swing from Frick, the scrag troll. His brain was exposed, and a hand-sized gold-plated beetle was crawling around on the surface of it.

"Oh man," I continued. "I don't know what I'm doing here. Help me out."

"Relax, Link," Dr. Cockroach said over my communicator. "Don't panic. It's not like you're doing brain surgery."

I blinked. "Well, that's not helpful, Doc. I _am_ doing brain surgery."

"You really aren't," Dr. Cockroach assured me. "This doesn't need to be nearly as contemplative. Just reach in and lift the bug out."

"My fingers are all dirty," I said.

"His healing powers should get you around that," Edward advised. "Your fingers won't damage him too badly, certainly not compared to what that beetle will do if you don't get it out quickly."

As if to emphasize Ed's point, the beetle pulled out a proboscis and began to drink Jake's cerebral fluids. Screaming in terror and revulsion, I reached in and plucked the bug out, smashing it to pieces in my strong hands.

"I did it," I breathed. "It's out."

"Way to go, Link!" Nudge said.

"Now try to put his skull back together," Edward said. "He should heal fairly quickly after you've done that."

I reached over to do so, then found myself horrified again. "The bottoms of its feet are still in there!" I screamed. "There are six little bug claws digging into his brain."

"Link," Dr. Cockroach said. "Panic won't help Jacob right now. You need to be calm."

"Okay," I muttered.

"Try pretending it's a video game," Doc suggested. "Pretend it's the last level of a video game, and you don't have any extra lives, and all you have to do to win is perform a quick combo move to remove the feet from Jacob's brain."

"Right," I said.

I took a deep breath, and as fast as I could, I plucked the six beetle claws out of Jake's brain one by one, then pressed the two halves of his open skull together.

I felt like fainting, but I knew I shouldn't. Jake would die if I didn't make absolutely sure that he was fine. Once I could say positively that his skull was back together, once I was sure that he would regain consciousness... then I could faint. But not yet.


	22. Dreadful

**Chapter 22: Dreadful**

**JACOB BLACK**

I opened my eyes.

_Jake!_ four telepathic voices yelled.

_Hey,_ I said groggily. I wondered where they were, why all four of them were still in their wolf form, but somehow I was unable to form my wonderings into words.

_I'm still at the flock's school,_ Seth said. _I gave the others a phone call so we could all keep an eye on you. You had a magical bug eating at your brain, but Link got it out._

I looked around. I was sure my eyes were open, but I couldn't see anything.

_Oh, no,_ Embry thought. _Do you think he's gone blind? Maybe the part of his brain that lets him see got all messed up..._

_No,_ Leah said quickly. _That can't be. 'Cause, look, he can see light from above..._

I could. I wasn't blind; it was just very, very dark.

"Jake?" I recognized Link's voice... not as well as I should have, but I recognized it. "Jake, buddy, I am so sorry if I ruined your brain."

I held up a paw and shook my head. I still couldn't tell which direction Link's voice or scent was coming from.

"He's standing up," said a gentle female voice. Susan? "See, he's getting up."

Was I? I didn't feel like I was standing... damn, maybe there was something seriously wrong with my brain.

An icy-cold hand touched my muzzle. "Jacob, buddy, are you gonna pull through?" The familiar voice was almost as jolting as the cold.

_Bella,_ I thought. _Bella... sister... mother..._

I could see her now, her white face against the blackness.

_I think he's okay,_ Leah thought. _He's thinking with more clarity now. Quil, Embry, go back home. Seth and I will take care of this._

_But..._ Quil began.

_Do it,_ Leah said. She used her Beta voice, the one I had used back in the one-pack days. Not as powerful as an Alpha voice, but still not to be ignored.

_Leah, don't do that,_ I said. _This pack doesn't abuse its authority._

_Sorry,_ she said. _I got overexcited._

_No worries,_ I told her. _But do it, guys. Please. Go back._

_Okay,_ Embry replied. He faded away, then Quil did too.

_So, I can't use the authority voice?_ Leah asked.

_I'd rather you didn't,_ I said. _I never do._

_Can I make Seth beep like a Jeep? _she asked.

_I think that's acceptable,_ I said.

_I don't wanna beep like a Jeep,_ Seth grumbled.

_Beep like a Jeep,_ Leah boomed.

Seth chirped aloud through his wolf mouth. A few of the people surrounding him in the Lerner's courtyard shot him odd looks.

It was brighter now. I could see Link, Iggy, and Nudge... and Bella, Oluchi, and Susan, for some reason.

_Is that Oluchi?_ Seth demanded. _What's she doing there? She's supposed to be safe at home._

Bella caught my face, silently asking the same question. "When Ted's tower moved, it came close to Insectosaurus' position," she explained. "Susan and Oluchi came in, and they called for me."

In the way that only Bella could read, my face asked "Why?"

"Moon, Sun, and Stars," Bella explained. She pointed up to the back wall of the room, where there were three thrones. One of them looked normal (you know, as thrones go), but the middle one was so high up and on such a flat wall that you'd have to be able to fly to get to it, and the third was huge... Susan-sized, if I had to guess.

"The doctor's book, in the passage about Fallen, mentions this room," Susan explained. "It's said that when the goddesses of the moon, sun, and stars sit on the thrones, they will bring peace and light... we're going to try."

"Max didn't want to leave Keegan, though," Bella said. "It may not work without her, but we're going to try."

Bella took her seat in the smallest throne, and Susan took the big one. Nothing happened at all.

"Maybe I could do it," Nudge said. "Who said it had to be Max, right? Maybe I'll do."

Nudge began to fly up to the center room, but a booming voice yelled "NO!"

We all spun. It was Ted. He smelled like Nessie, but he didn't look anything like we'd come to expect of half-vampires. He was withered, ugly, old-looking. But his racing, bird-like heart made all the difference. He was flanked by Lorenzo and El Capitan, both of them looking very mean and ugly.

"You don't want to do that, Nudge," Ted yelled, louder than was absolutely necessary considering how nearby he was. "If anyone but the Sun sits in her throne, they'll die. And you two..." His comically large, green eyes spun from Susan to Bella. "You aren't to do that. If the thrones are filled without my presence, then the world will be at peace! We don't want that. That would be simply _dreadful_. I follow Fallen's will, and Fallen wants chaos! Therefore I, TED! ...must fill the thrones. But you shall not do so. It is not yet time."

There was a massive explosion; I and everyone with me was thrown out of the tower. Insectosaurus looked down at us and rumbled, concerned.

Ted's tower vanished. No, it didn't vanish... it moved. But who knew where? And who knew where Ted would strike next?


	23. Raw Power

**Chapter 23: Raw Power**

**EDWARD CULLEN**

Jacob and I returned to Lerner's. We had heard of the updates about Keegan... the most powerful vampire ever to live, limited only by her imagination. Max had insisted that Keegan was good, that she would not abuse that sort of power. We had to hope she was right, because if she was wrong and Keegan finished the transformation, there wouldn't be much we could do about it.

Jacob and I froze in horror as a powerful mental voice rushed through the entire school. Everyone heard it, not just me.

_The power... the raw power... yes, no one can stand before me now. The universe is mine to command, mine to control. All shall bow before Keegan, the one true goddess, mistress of all that there is..._

Our horror was eased when the voice continued, _Ha, I'm just kidding. Had you going there for a second, didn't I? Edward, Jacob, you guys can come on in. I'm right here in my dorm._

Jacob and I looked at each other, amused, and entered Keegan's dormitory. There she was, fully vampirized, her skin pale and her eyes ruby-red. Niles was sitting by her bed... bizarrely, he was unharmed.

"Wow," she muttered. "Well, as long as I have this power, I'd say the first thing I'll do is get rid of this thirst. I mean, damn, that's rough." As soon as she spoke the words, I could tell that she was no longer thirsty, a miracle in and of itself. A vampire who wasn't thirsty? Even the slightest bit? Unheard of.

"Keegan, you've got to look in a mirror," Niles said eagerly.

Instantly, a mirror appeared in Keegan's hand. She looked at it. "Whoa, who's that babe?" she said. "That's neat."

"I don't like it," Niles said. "You don't look like you."

"Well, I was gonna get rid of this anyway," Keegan said. "How about I use my imagination and say that I go back to being human, but keep these powers. Let's try that."

In seconds, there she was... no longer a vampire, but a simple fourteen-year-old human girl. Jacob and I traded glances once again, astonished. She really could do _anything_.

"I think maybe I'll fix my eyesight," Keegan said thoughtfully. "I always thought I looked hotter without my glasses."

"I don't want you to look hot," Niles said. "I think you looked cute with your glasses on. I want you to look cute."

"All right," Keegan said. "The glasses stay on, then."

Niles hugged her. "I love you, Keegan," he said. "I've been so worried about you the whole time you've been going through this. I never left your side."

"I know," she said. "I could hear... you're great, Niles. You're the best boyfriend any middle school student ever had, there's no doubting that. Niles, could I ask you something? I promise I won't use my powers to influence your decision, or be angry if you say no."

"What is it?" he asked.

"I was thinking about my next wish," she said. "I want to imagine that you and I will be in love forever. Would that be okay?"

Niles smiled. "Absolutely. Go right ahead." Keegan imagined it, and it was so. The green plastic ring that she wore sparkled, and became a bright band made of the purest light. "Whoa," Niles said.

Keegan shrugged. "It's the way I imagined eternal commitment," she said. "When we were normal teenagers, people whose feelings could change at a moment's notice, to whom 'eternity' doesn't sound much longer than a week from Tuesday, the plastic was the perfect example. But now we can use something more special."

"I asked Carlisle to change me," Niles admitted. "I figured that since we like each other now, if we both became vampires then we'd never want to break up... but this is a much better way. I'm glad he didn't agree."

"If he had, I would have just imagined you human also," Keegan said.

"Thanks," Niles said.

I motioned for Jake to come with me, to give the two children some privacy. These children, barely teenagers, would never lose their powerful, purely innocent puppy-love feelings for one another. It was rather sweet to think about.

"Good thing Aro isn't in charge anymore," Jacob mused. "She'd go straight to the top of his 'must recruit or kill now' list."

"Yeah, but what would he be able to do about it?" I countered. "All she'd have to do would be to imagine herself _off_ the list."

Jacob laughed. "That's true. Wow, I guess the good guys have gained a powerful ally, huh?"

"I don't think so," I replied. "Keegan's mind was still open to me... she never intends to use her powers ever again."

Jacob frowned. "Never?"

"Perhaps it's better that way," I said.


	24. Old Buddies

**Chapter 24: Old Buddies**

**BELLA CULLEN**

I snuck through a college campus, hugging the dark and sliding flawlessly through the shadows like the fierce, flawless predator that I was. None of the oblivious college students would have any idea that I…

"Bella!"

Oh. Hm. Perhaps I'm not as sneaky as I thought. Ah, well. "Hi, Angie," I said.

Angela rushed up and gave me a hug, closely followed by Ben. The twenty-year-olds were still as happy a couple as they had always been. "Oh, I've missed you so much," Angela said.

"I know, buddy," I said. "Would you believe me if I said I've missed you too?"

"Yes," she said. "I understand. You've had a secret to keep."

"But not anymore," I said. "Well, this is wonderful. My life is beyond perfect. I've seen everyone in the whole wide world that I love."

Angela cocked her head. "You saw Mike and Jessica before me?"

"No," I said.

It took a second for that to sink in, then she laughed. "Well, that was mean, but funny. Did you bring your family? I want to meet Nessie."

"Yeah," I said. "She's with Edward and Jake in the car. I'll take you." As I led them to the parking lot, I said, "Well, you guys know what I've been up to the past two years. What's been happening with you?"

"Less than with you, I'm sure," Ben said. "As you know, we are very, very boring. We're planning on getting engaged after we graduate."

"That's great, you guys," I said.

"Oh, by the way," Angela said. "Edward e-mailed me. He wanted me to tell you that you have never been boring or ordinary and that everybody at Forks High genuinely loved you."

"He wanted you to tell me that, huh?"

"Well, no, actually. He just mentioned that you never believed that, and I knew that it was true, and I thought you'd find it more believable if you thought that he made me say it."

"Wow," I said. "You're a devious schemer, Angie. Well, here's the family."

Edward, Jacob, and Renesmee piled out of the car. "Hi there," Nessie said. "I'm Renesmee. Momma has told me so much about you guys."

"Wow," Angela breathed. "What an amazing creature…"

"Hey, maybe you two could talk to the reporters," Edward suggested.

"What reporters?" Ben asked.

"Oh, _People_ magazine is including the Cullen family in next month's issue," I said. "It's their special 'Sort of' edition."

"'Sort of' edition?" Angela repeated.

"_Sort of People_," Edward explained. "That issue will consist of stories about those of us who are something more or less than entirely human."

"Oh," Angela said. "It'll probably be a really short issue, huh?"

"You'd be surprised," Edward said darkly. He looked around. "While our friends and enemies make up a significant portion of the monster population… magic is everywhere. And sooner or later, it's all going to be unearthed."

"By _People_ magazine?" Ben said.

"You'd be surprised," Edward said again.


	25. Practice

**Chapter 25: Practice**

**SUSAN MURPHY**

I joined Max in the center of a city park. A concrete stage there was set up with a series of instruments.

"This is so cool, Max," I said. "So, what's your lineup?"

"I play the drums," she said. "Gazzy is the lead singer, Fang on guitar, Iggy on keyboards, Nudge on bass, and Angel on backing percussion… and we all do vocals at some point or another."

"And you've actually gotten a record deal?" I said excitedly.

"Unfortunately, yes," she said grimly. "We only got it because we're famous already. Well, no, even if we were just plain famous we would never have gotten it; it's because we're famous and we're mutants. And the album will shoot our reputation straight to hell."

I frowned. "You don't think you're good?"

"Put it this way: we can't exactly campaign against global warming when we make this kind of audio pollution," Max said. "We could probably do an overdub session, but that wouldn't help with public appearances; we can't play synchronized very well. And Fang? Ugh. God love him, but worst songwriter ever. He's my soulmate, but sometimes it really hits me, like 'Oh my God, I'm kissing the person who wrote the shish kebab song'." She chuckled. "But that's why we're here. We picked out a popular but not crowded park; we're going incognito to see if we could get a sufficient amount of tips from people who don't recognize us." She looked up at me. "That is, we_ were_ incognito until the ninety-foot woman showed up."

"Please," I said. "That's _fifty_-foot woman. Sorry, but you know I can't resist a chance to hang out with you guys. Where are the rest of the flock, anyway?"

"I would have thought they were walking here, but they wouldn't now that they realize the jig is up," Max said thoughtfully. "I imagine Fang is trying to figure out what outfit to get them all in."

"Ah, the life of a rock star," I said dryly. "Waking up in the morning and going 'Okay, it's gig time, what'll it be? Black shirt, black coat, and black jeans… or black shirt, black coat, and black jeans?'"

"Yeah, that's Fang all right," Max agreed. "Black shirt, black coat, and black jeans isn't really him, though, so he'll probably go with the black shirt, black coat, and black jeans." She looked around. "Listen, Susan, while we're alone I have something of an important revelation."

"What's up?" I asked.

She floated up to my eye level; I held out my hand for her so she wouldn't have to work. "This isn't something I'm used to saying," she muttered. "The only people I've said this to are Fang and Angel, and they really already knew… and I think, for my health, I should start spreading it around a bit more."

"What is it?" I said nervously.

She averted her eyes and scowled, but eventually managed to come up to me and speak. "I… I love you, Susan. I'm going to tell everyone in the family that, but I think you should be the first. Because you… you're the one who really helped me get out of my shell. You pestered me to open up, and I've come out better for it."

My eyes watered. I felt like hugging her tightly and smothering her with kisses, but I had to temper that. My hugs have been known to destroy city blocks, and "smothered with kisses" isn't just an expression when it's me doing the kissing. So I did all I could; I cupped my hands around Max and held her gently to my face.

"I love you too, Max," I said. "You're a very vital part of my family."

"What kind of part of your family?" she asked eagerly.

I shrugged. "There's not really anything to compare you to," I admitted. "You don't really fit the criteria of a daughter, or a sister, or a cousin. You're… you're my Max. That's it."

"Mine too," Fang said, abruptly appearing in my hand next to her.

Max jumped in surprise. "You know, Fang," she said edgily. "I don't know what culture you try to emulate, but here in the good old US of A, it's _not_ a social taboo to make sound when you walk." She managed to finish the smart remark, but her sharp tone wore off quickly. Her face positively melted when she saw Fang. The two of them interlaced their fingers and began to rotate on their axis, floating in midair while staring deeply at one another. I knew it was a private moment, but I couldn't look away. It was positively magical.

"It's so great to see you two like this," I finally had to say. "I always knew it was meant to be, from the moment I met the two of you. Max, every time you see him, your face lights up like Atlanta on fire."

"I know," she said. "I wish I hadn't been the last person to figure that out. I don't mind the time, but it would have been nice if _someone_ had been more clueless than me."

The four junior members of the flock were gathered. "We gonna start playing, or what?" Nudge called.

Fang and Max settled lightly to the ground. "Let's whip up some 'Iris', shall we?" he said.

"Oh, I love that song," I said. "It's a beautiful song."

"It's a perfect song," Fang agreed.

They began to play. As Max said, they weren't very good at coordinating, but the performance was truly in the heart. Fang and Max never took their eyes off one another, and Iggy and Nudge took every second that they had a free hand to caress the other's face. I was taken by how perfect the song was… not just for them, but for everyone I love.

_And I'd give up forever to touch you_

'_Cause I know that you feel me somehow_

_You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be_

_And I don't want to go home right now_

_And all I can taste is this moment_

_And all I can breathe is your life_

'_Cause sooner or later it's over_

_And I don't want to miss you tonight_

_And I don't want the world to see me_

'_Cause I don't think that they'd understand_

_When everything's made to be broken_

_I just want you to know who I am_

_And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming_

_Or the moment of truth in your lies_

_When everything seems like the movies_

_Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive_

_And I don't want the world to see me_

'_Cause I don't think that they'd understand_

_When everything's made to be broken_

_I just want you to know who I am_

_And I don't want the world to see me_

'_Cause I don't think that they'd understand_

_When everything's made to be broken_

_I just want you to know who I am_

_I just want you to know who I am_

_I just want you to know who I am_

_I just want you to know who I am_

_I just want you to know who I am_

A slender figure approached them. It was their classmate Keegan, looking as perfect and human as if the spring dance had been nothing more than a dream.

"Hey, you guys," she said. "We're trying to have a chess club meeting over there. Do you think your band could play a little bit, um… better?"

Max jumped, startled, then glared. "Oh, that's cute, Keegan. I'll have you know we'll be making an album with a real live record label."

"Do you think you deserve that record deal?"

"No," Max admitted. "Hey, Keegmeister. How about you whip out the old imagination and make us really, really good?"

Keegan raised an eyebrow. "I could imagine that you have more will and initiative to practice."

Max scowled. "Keegs, what part of being omnipotent do you not understand?"

"I do understand it," she said. "But I'm not going to use it to just _make_ you guys good musicians."

"But what about good things for the world?" Nudge said. "You could imagine that there's no more global warming, no more evil corporations, no more hunger. Why haven't you done anything like that?"

"This power came to be by sheer random chance," Keegan said. "It's not my destiny to make the world a better place. It's yours, Max."

"Right," Max said. "Wake me when you come up with an original line, won't you?"

"But she's right, Max," I said. "Not just yours, but mine, and Bella's. Remember what they've called us? Goddesses."

"Goddesses," Max repeated. "Right… it's still all part of the same old stuff, though. A game, a puzzle, to build up my saving-the-world skills."

"That's not true," Fang said. "This is an unforeseen thing, you remember? Going through with this, becoming the Sun, that must go against what you were built for. I'd imagine that people like Jeb wouldn't approve."

"Oh," Max said, grinning. "Well, in that case I'll gladly do it."


	26. Sort of People

**Wow. For some reason, since my last update, I've gotten a whole bunch of new fans. How did that happen? Well, sincere thanks to all of you people who have just joined the fun. Thank you for reviewing and favorite-ing. It's always nice to have new fans! I'm thrilled.**

**But, of course, this series wouldn't have lasted a minute into the second installment without my super-badass fan, Master of the Boot. I feel, now that somebody else is actually reading this, that you deserve to receive my gratitude IN PUBLIC. All reet all righty, now let's get this party started right.**

**Chapter 26: Sort of People**

**ROSALIE HALE**

The offices of _People_ magazine were crowded with monsters. Mostly family, but also a few creatures I'd never heard tell of. But I wasn't interested in them. I was more curious as to what people might be saying about me.

"Hey, that's not our political stance, all right?" Fang was saying to a reporter. "There's nothing political about saving the world. The planet is going to die, and that has to be prevented. End of story. No politics."

"Tell us about your extended family," the reporter said.

Max sighed, looking contented. "I love them so much," she said. "We really get too much credit. It's the Modesto Monsters who really get things done in this world, and the Cullens… ah, yeah, the Cullens."

"Nothing we wouldn't do for them," Fang said. "If they wanted my firstborn, I'd give it to them. Even if they just wanted to eat it."

"Wow, Fang," Max said. "I don't recall us discussing that. That's morbid."

"That's a, um, mutually exclusive idea, then?" the reporter said.

"Hm?" Max said, not understanding.

"Your firstborn and his firstborn," the woman clarified.

"Oh, yeah," Max said. "Totes. This is my soulmate."

"Would you two say the same?" the reporter asked Nudge and Iggy.

Iggy shrugged and said something that could be transcribed as "mleh". Nudge pinched him painfully and he said, "Yes, I would say so. Absolutely. On multiple levels. True love."

Nessie was being interviewed as well; she barely batted an eye when Balthasar and Mattie came tearing through the office.

"Damn, kid," Balthasar wheezed. "You're making a mockery of your bodyguards. You know how we got that title? From guarding your body. We can't do that when you go carting your body off all over the place."

Iggy laughed. "I have a body joke, but someone will have to protect me."

"Iggy," a reporter said. "Tell me of your work with explosives. Gazzy hasn't made your techniques all that clear."

"Oh, well, put it this way," Iggy said. "Dr. Cockroach? He can make a satellite out a fish tank and a toothbrush… but me and Gazzy can make it blow up."

"Miss… Hale, is it?" a voice said.

"Yeah?" I said to the camera-holding man who had approached me.

"How about a photo-shoot with you?" he said. "It would be an incredible honor."

I was ready to agree, but I noticed a red-bearded figure behind him. "Ted?" I blurted angrily.

That was Ted all right—the enemy who had disrupted our finally perfect lives. All eyes turned to me, then to him.

"What are you doing here?" Edward hissed.

"I'm being interviewed for the _Sort of People_ magazine," Ted said. "How many interviews do you think they've got room for, really? I've got a whole article. Ted Nichtnorb and his super-duper Fallen-fueled plan to bring about the ultimate destruction of this world and the next."

"Oh, this is good," a reporter muttered. "The huddled masses of sheep love feuds. Ted Nichtnorb vs. the Cullens… oh, that's good."

I shoved her to the ground.

Bella stepped up to Ted. "Let's finish this, Ted," she said. "Let's arrange a meeting where we can prove exactly who deserves to control the thrones."

"Yes, perhaps that would be best," Ted agreed. "You will find my tower on a tiny island off the coast of Brazil… I think you know it. Meet me there at noon tomorrow. Bring lotsa firepower! I'm not to be underestimated."

With a twirl of his cloak, Ted vanished.

"He's setting up his tower on Isle Esme?" I said suspiciously. "The house will be crushed."

"It's kind of fitting, when you think about it," Edward said. He clapped Dr. Cockroach on the shoulder. "This alliance, this friendship, this beautiful family bond… it all started on Isle Esme, and on Isle Esme is where it will be fulfilled. By the way, Doctor, in that outfit you kind of look like Jar Jar Binks."

"Oh, really?" Dr. Cockroach said, wincing. "Well, remind me to change before the fight starts, then."

"Let's go," Bella said.

**It's countdown time. Only three chapters until the end…**


	27. Siege

**Chapter 27: Siege**

**DR. COCKROACH PH.D.**

"There's Ted's tower," General Monger growled. "All right, Mr. Bach and Miss Nguyen lead the attack in their planes. Rules of engagement have been put into place—we can assume that Ted has guards. It's gonna take some first-rate monstering to get through that."

"I've always meant to ask, General," I piped up. "Are you sure that 'monster' is a verb?"

"First Amendment, Doctor," he countered. "I can say anything I want." He looked to the back of the plane, to the huddled forms of Susan, Bella, and Max. "You know, I've been around," he said. "And I always hoped I'd live to see the day when women rule the world. You three are makin' my dream come true."

"Let's not celebrate ahead of time," Bella said. "But thank you, General."

"Of course," Iggy said, "if women rule the world, then warheads and such will probably be shaped differently."

He shared a laugh with Fang, and Max banged their skulls together.

"Getting a read," Albert reported from his plane. "The place is unguarded, and from what I can tell our attacks are causing harm to the tower… I think the main trick is just getting inside. There's a moat."

Link laughed. "Awesome. I may not know about flying or shooting a gun; that's the area of others in this group, but moats? That's all me."

General Monger's plane, closely followed by Insectosaurus, landed gently on the sands of Isle Esme. As predicted, Ted's tower had crushed the island's house.

Link dove into the moat. Angel and Edward followed; they could also stay underwater indefinitely and their telepathic powers would doubtless prove useful. After the predictable clunk and "ow" of Link hitting his head on a door, the drawbridge of Ted's tower flew open. Our veritable army marched inside.

"Ooh, I don't like the feel of this place," I said. "I think it may be extra-dimensional; bigger on the inside than the outside."

"We can't be sure what we'll be dealing with," Edward said. "El Capitan and Lorenzo for sure, and we'll probably have Ted to deal with at the very end… though I don't think Ted will leave the central throne room." He paused. "We'll need to stay in large groups if we should encounter El Capitan… a fight consisting of a werewolf and a vampire is generally an equal match… right, Caius?" he added into his communicator.

"Shut up," the ancient's voice hissed.

"But we should be able to take him down as long as we outnumber him," Edward finished.

"Uh-oh," Jacob said. "Wall, wall, wall, wall, wall…"

A wall dropped in front of me… and behind me. Oh, God, no… a perfectly circular wall had dropped for the purpose of isolating me. And I had a feeling I knew who was after me.

"Lorenzo," I said. "What's happened to you? How did you come to this?"

My tube opened, showing me the face of my old friend. There was never any doubt that it was him. I could see it in his eyes, plain and simple. He didn't just look like a tiger, I realized now… rather that he had been stitched together by someone who didn't particularly care what tigers look like.

"Revenge," Lorenzo hissed.

"Who has wronged you, Lorenzo?" I demanded. "Not me, certainly?"

"Yeah, you," he snarled. "I remember the day you stumbled out of that machine with a giant bug head… the United States government carted you away instantly. They burned your lab down. Completely destroyed your life's work."

"Really?" I said.

"Yeah," he said. "And I was hidden there. The fire… it ripped me to pieces. The only way I could put myself back together…" He touched a mangled paw to his face.

"Oh," I said, gasping. "I know that tiger, don't I?"

"We're one now, the tiger and me," he said. "We need one another to survive. I need the pieces of his body, he needs the pieces of my brain. But I wasn't going to go to prison. While you've been in your luxurious little monster prison, I've been hiding out."

"For fifty-eight years?" I said breathlessly. "That's admirable, my old friend."

"You're no friend of mine!" he bellowed. "This is your fault, what's happened to me. I was burned in _your_ lab. If it had been any other scientist, I would have been more than the lowly assistant. I would have been a true scientist. At the very least, I could have prevented you from making your little mistake… but that's over with now. Revenge."

Suddenly, Lorenzo's face cracked and began to bleed. He fell to the ground, clearly dead. I whirled to see Emmett.

"Good timing, brother," I said. "I could have handled him myself, though."

"I know," he said. "But time's a-wasting. El Capitan is keeping the rest of my family busy. We needed your help quickity-quick; no time for a fair fight with an old friend."

"Right," I said. "But incidentally, how…?" I examined Lorenzo's body. I saw now that his face had been broken by a projectile, thrown with Emmett's typical uncanny accuracy and deadly speed. The projectile was still embedded in his face. It was yellow and soft-textured… "A lemon?" I said. "You killed him with a lemon?"

"Found it in my pocket," he said cheerfully. "Didn't even know I had it. Don't you love it when that happens?"

Emmett led me down a twisting stone hallway. "I hate to miss the action," he said. "But we need to get to the central throne room and take down Ted." He thought. "Man, he should change his name. The name 'Ted' just doesn't fit into that kind of statement."

"You are all doomed!" Ted's voice bellowed, reverberating through his entire tower. "No one can defeat El Capitan… and even fewer people can defeat me."

"Fewer than nobody?" I heard Max say.

"That's right."

"You realize that makes no sense, right?" Max pestered.

"You will be silent, Sun Goddess," Ted snarled. "I have you now… we only need to wait for your two sisters."

Emmett suddenly paused, and stomped his foot. The stone floor broke underneath him, and he slipped through. I followed, and there was the throne room. I had never seen the place in person before, though mental images had been provided by the various family members with that capacity. Ted hovered somehow in the center of the room, pinning Max's arms to her sides.

"You cannot break free, Max," he whispered.

Emmett leapt into the air and threw a punch, which cracked sharply on the back of Ted's head. Ted whirled and snarled angrily.

Lord, that crazy man scared me. I should not have been that frightened, but I was.

As Jasper was bounding into the room, my fright was quickly replaced by total confidence. Good old Jazz, always one to up the family morale. Alice, Rosalie, and Bella came in after, then Susan, who was wearing the corpse of El Capitan like a furry scarf, to bait Ted.

Ted growled, the bait clearly working. Susan hurled the body at him; he dodged with his strange, impossible method of levitation, but dropped Max, who fluttered to the ground.

"No!" Ted screamed. "You'll never defeat me! I'm number one! I am a personal minion of Fallen! I am… no wait, that's not…"

Ted promptly and spontaneously exploded. Bits of his hair and clothing dropped onto us.

"What the hey?" Bella said. She turned to Alice for explanation, as did a few other people.

"Ted was too powerful, I think," she said. "His power was too much for his dysfunctional brain and his feeble body to handle… so he just blew up."

"Wow," Link commented. "That is awesome."

We were then greeted by a pair of white-hot, slanted eyes, glaring at us, daring us to move forward… Max ignored the floating specter of Fallen and flew up to the center throne. It glowed yellow. Susan and Bella followed, Bella's throne glowing purple, Susan's white.

Here they were. The anchors of our family had become the goddesses—the Moon, Sun, and Stars. Bella's skin, already pale as the moon, glowed, not sparkling like diamonds as vampire skin always does in direct sunlight, but glowing like a clear, full moon in the darkest of places. Max's dark brown eyes suddenly turned gold, gold like the sun… not the attractive topaz of a well-fed vegetarian vampire, but glowing with all the energy of tiny, twin suns.

But my eyes were for Susan. Always were my eyes for Susan… her hair, pure white for as long as I had known her, was somehow whiter… white like starlight. It was truly a beautiful thing.

"It is done," Susan said. "We are the goddesses… and when Fallen comes again, seven thousand years from now…" She opened her eyes, still the same big blue eyes I had always found so lovely. "We will be ready for him," she finished.

"I can feel it," Max muttered. "Yes… there's no more need to worry about an expiration date. I'm immortal now… everyone I love is immortal."

"Let's go save the world, then," Bella said. She laughed dangerously.

**It's countdown time. Only two chapters until the end…**


	28. Fulfillment

**Chapter 28: Fulfillment**

**MAXIMUM RIDE**

Albert and Felicia got married. I had never especially gotten to know them; they had favored the Cullens over the flock or the monsters, but the invitation was appreciated.

"What did I tell you?" Keegan whispered over my shoulder. "You've found your destiny."

"Not the kind that was planned for me," I said. "But I found it. I'll be saving my world the way I always wanted to—my way." I looked closely at Keegan, arm in arm with Niles. "What will you two do?"

"We'll be human," Keegan said simply. "We'll grow old and die. I have a powerful talent, but immortality isn't really 'me'."

I grasped their hands. "Well, I'll never forget you guys," I said. "My first friends. A pair of incredibly inspiring innocents. I'll always remember that, as long as I exist… which will be forever. So there's your immortality for you, right there."

Albert tapped the microphone. "Well, I'd like to thank everyone for coming tonight. And thank my brand-new wife, Felicia, for being the shining star of my world."

Felicia then took the mic. "But this is more than a celebration of the love that Albert and I have," she said. "It's a celebration of everyone here, especially the three fantastic women who will shape this planet into something beautiful for many millennia to come. Let us all raise our glasses in the very first toast to Bella Cullen, the Moon… Maximum Ride, the Sun… and Susan Murphy, the Stars."

There was a lot of applause and toasting. I didn't take the champagne. While I wasn't the biggest advocate for prevention of underage drinking… well, you know.

"Well, with that being said," Emmett said. "I asked the Bachs"—Felicia beamed (as much as a snake can beam) as he spoke the name—"if I could prepare a very special musical selection to my mate and sometime-wife, Rosalie Hale. I will sing the song that we heard being played the very first time that we made love."

He launched into "Take Me Out To The Ball Game". Rosalie shrieked and chased him around the room, and while she occasionally caught him, she couldn't wrench the mic from his hands any longer than the instant it took to say "That's not true!"

I grinned and turned back to my food, then froze suddenly. "What the… why is my plate covered in a thin layer of B.O.B.?"

"Sorry," Link called from across the room. "You're gonna have to get yourself a new plate."

Fang took my hand. "Can a new plate wait?" he asked.

"Sure," I said, reclining. "We've got time."

"Yeah," he said. "This is great, though."

"What's it like, being the boyfriend of a goddess?" I asked.

"Well, it makes me feel impressed with myself," he said. "Almost as impressed as I was when I was able to simply call myself the boyfriend of Maximum Ride."

I blushed. "Thanks a lot, babe," I said. "You rule."

"Technically, _you_ rule," he said, gently patting my exposed stomach as I reclined. "The Sun is the most important of the three goddesses, you know."

"Sure," I said, contentedly watching his hand make a slow circuit around my midriff.

"Hey, Fang?" Nudge said. "You two have an announcement of some kind, or does she just really like it when you rub her tummy?"

Fang chuckled. "Both," he said.

"No, not both," I said, slapping him in the head. (and not playfully either; I smacked the shit out of him) "Yeah, you got that right, Nudge. There's… there are no longer six bird kids in the flock. I'm gonna lay an egg." I giggled hysterically.

"Uh, really?" Iggy said.

"'Course not," I said. "But you get the idea. We've got ourselves a little baby bird on the way… put that in _Sort of People_ magazine," I said, aiming my words directly at the paparazzo who had assumed that we hadn't known he was there. "Max is an irresponsible little hussy. Hehe…" I leaned forward and kissed Fang tenderly.

_Max, you will receive coordinates in a few short minutes._

_What?_ I demanded of my Voice. _What do you mean "coordinates"? I can't have a mission. What happened to my happy ending?_

_You don't get a happy ending,_ the Voice replied.

I was at a complete loss for an answer. The Voice had never exactly been the high point of my existence, but it had never been this downright mean.

_You don't get any kind of ending,_ the Voice clarified. _None of the flock gets an ending. You're immortal now._

"Oh, I see," I said aloud. The fortune-cookie wisdom of the Voice had always been a nuisance, but it was onto something now. It was absolutely onto something. "Right… there are no happy endings… because nothing ends. Awesome. Where to?"

_To Japan,_ the Voice replied. _While your new existence as a goddess was not anticipated… it certainly won't hinder the process of your world-saving._

"Right," I said. "Come on, flock. We've got some crap that needs to get done."

Five people stood up and came to my side… but more than five had their eye on me.

_Don't bring your flock, Max,_ the Voice said. _Bring your family._

"Oh," I said, now comprehending fully. Raising my voice, I said, "Come on, everyone! Let's go save the world."

In minutes, an entire army of amazing, wonderful sort-of-people were gathered on the head and back of Insectosaurus. We let him do all the flying. The flock needs to rest sometimes.

I took point position right between Insecto's eyes. Bella was to my right, Susan to my left. My fellow goddesses… not my sisters, or my parents, or my cousins, but simply my Bella and my Susan.

We were off to save the world and there was nothing to stand in our way.

**It's countdown time. Only one chapter until the end…**


	29. Epilogue

**Chapter 29: Epilogue**

**FALLEN**

As promised, I returned to Earth seven thousand years later.

There they were. The seven-thousand year reign of Bella, Max, and Susan had been peaceful. All of their close friends and family were still around… those who wished to see their natural life-spans end had done so. The Missing Link had happily lived out a few millennia before allowing time to take him, and some centuries after that decision, he died peacefully. All three goddesses had seen the content passing of their parents. But some embraced their immortality. The girl, Oluchi, had kept to eternity to sync with her ageless mate Seth. Jacob Black and Renesmee Cullen were the parents of many generations; immortal, but changing.

The entire planet gave off an aura of purest love. The place was peaceful. Perfect. Harmonious.

Sickening.

I aimed the Cocoon's entire cache of weapons at the planet. Earth could not be allowed to continue on.

"Oh, leave them be, Fallen," said a voice behind me. A familiar voice that chilled my bones and warmed my heart… the voice of my sister.

I turned to her. "Solar," I whispered. Solar looks much like me, but with an inversion of color; her skin is green, her hair blue, and her eyes black. Her wings are easier to describe than mine, but still nearly impossible. "Solar, what are you doing here?"

"I have been peacefully roaming the galaxy," she replied. "Observing and watching the flow of life… unlike you and your little judge act." She pointed to Earth. "Can't you leave them alone, my brother?"

"No," I growled. "I can't let anomalies like that exist."

"That's unfair," Solar said quietly. "Do you forget the origin of ourselves?"

"No, my sister, I do not," I said. "I will _never_ forget our origins. That is my goal. Once I have cleansed the galaxy of aberrant creations such as us… I will then take my own life, and things will be pure for the first time since that day, eons ago, when you and I came to be."

"That's not possible, Fallen," Solar said. "Even if you do clear the galaxy of creation, more will arise. As long as there is a galaxy, life will come, and with life there will also be creation. And that's not to mention: there are other galaxies. The universe will never be pure. I accepted that fate. I am content. Creation is not always beautiful, but usually it is… I can name this planet as a prime example." She beamed down at Earth.

"They're as immortal as we are," I pointed out. "_Nothing_ is supposed to be immortal."

Solar tugged on my shirt collar angrily. "Yes, we're immortal," she shouted, sounding more on the verge of tears than truly angry. "I got over that a million-million years ago. Why can't you?" She let me go and beheld me calmly. "I don't think of you as an immortal. I think of you as my brother."

I turned back to Earth and began to power up the Cocoon's weapons once again. "Some sister you are," I said. "You left me."

"Yes, but I have come back to you. Do you not see that?"

"Irrelevant."

"Oh, don't be that way, Fallen," Solar said, gently removing my hand from the Cocoon's central machine. "Do you remember the games we used to play?"

"I… irrelevant," I said again. "You left. You left and we're still immortal." My words were firm, but it wouldn't take half of the perceptive ability of Solar to realize that my resolve had weakened at the mention of games.

Solar smiled. "Do you want to play a game, my brother?"

I sighed and looked at her. "Yes, my sister," I said. "I would like very much to play a game."

"Then leave your silly little Cocoon and let us be off," she said. She grinned mischievously. "Can't catch me, Fallen."

Solar vanished, moving effortlessly through space. I looked at my surroundings. The Cocoon had served the purpose I had sought over the millennia, but it had never been a home. I left it, then followed my sister in her dance through the universe.

**The Three-Way Crossover Saga Ends Here**

**so… thank you**

**and goodnight**


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